Non-refillable bottle.



Patented Mar. 6, |900.

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NON-REFILLABL BOTTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 644,617, dated March 6, 1900.

Application tiled Deoember2,1899 Serial No. 739,060. (No model.)

... -kwam To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BINGHAM LYNCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orlando, in the county of Orange and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Non-Refillable Bottle, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in non-refillable bottles.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction of non-rellable bottles and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and eHicient one which in order to obtain access to its contents must be suiiiciently mutilated to prevent it from being afterward used as an original package.

A further object of the invention is to enable the frangible portion to be readily broken ott and to provide a smooth portion at the upper edges oi' the neck after such breakage to enable the contents of the bottle to be decanted without liability of pouring any fragments of glass into a receptacle.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a non-refillable bottle constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail perspective views of locking devices for securing the stopper or plug in the frangible portion of the neck of the bottle. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the bottle.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a bottle provided between the ends of its neck with a horizontal groove 2, forming a frangible upper portion 3, receiving a stopper or plug 4 and adapted to be broken oft to afford access to alower cork or stopper 5, which is adapted to be withdrawn to enable the contents of the bottle to be decanted. The bottle is provided at one side of the neck with an opening formed by cutting the groove 2 entirely through the bottle to provide a smooth edge 6, over which the contents of the bottle may be poured after the upper portion has been broken oft, so thatthere will be no liability of any of the fragments of the glass being poured into a receptacle with the liquid. The frangible upper portion of the bottle is divided into sections by longitudinal grooves 7, extending downward from the extreme upper edges of the neck to the horizontal groove 2 and facilitating the breakage of the frangible portion 8. The stopper, or plug 4, which is secured within 'the frangible portion 3 by the means hereinafter described, is cut away at the top at 8 to provide an intervening space or recess between it and the adjacent section of the frangible portion to receive a wedge 9, which is adapted to be driven downward, whereby the said section may be readily broken od. After the bottle has been first broken in this manner the remainder of the frangible portion may be readily knocked off without liability of breaking the lower portion of the neck.

The upper plug or stopper, which is constructed of glass or analogous material, is provided with a recess 10, located between its ends, forming upper and lower shoulders and adapted to register with a corresponding recess 11 of the inner face of the neck of the bottle to enable a locking device 12 to engage the upper and lower shoulders formed by the said recesses. The locking device may consist of an oblong body 13, rectangular in crosssection and provided at its inner face with a bowed spring 14, centrally secured to the body and having both ends free and engaging the inner wall of the recess of the stopper or plug at the top and bottom of the same. The rectangular block or body 13 is adapted to be compressed wholly within the recess of the stopper or plug when the latter is introduced into the neck of the bottle, and as soon as the recesses register with each other the spring automatically throws the block or body outward into the recess of the frangible portion of the neck, whereby the stopper or plug is securely fastened within the same. Instead of employing the block or body, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, a pair of oppositelybowed springs 15, centrally secured together, may be used. These oppositely bowed springs, which are arranged back to back, are adapted to be used on the lighter class of refa IOO ceptaclcs. After the bottle has received its liquid contents the ordinary cork or stopper 5 is placed in the lower portion of the neck, and the upper stopper or plug is inserted in the frangible portion of the neck and automatically locked therein, after which there is no liability of the contents of the bottle being adulterated or the bottle being fraudulently refilled and resold as an original package.

It will be seen that the non-reillable bottle is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that the improvements are applicable to all kinds of receptacles having necks similar to bottles, and that the frangible upper portion may be readily broken off without liability of fracturing the lower portion. It will also be clear that after the frangible upper portion has been removed the remaining portion of the neck presents a smooth section or part over which the con- `tents may be poured, so that there is no liabilityT of any fragments of glass becoming mixed with the liquid. After the upper portion of the neck has been broken off the particles of glass may be thoroughly removed before the lower cork or stopper is extracted.

lVhat is claimed is- 1. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle provided at its neck with an annular groove to form a frangible upper portion and having longitudinal grooves extending from the said groove to divide the frangible portion into sections, said neck being provided at the annular' groove with an opening having a smooth lower edge, a lower cork or stopper, and an upper stopper or plug locked in the upper fran gible portion of the neck and cut away at one side to provide a space for the reception of the wedge, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle having an annular groove and provided with longitudinal grooves eX- tending upward from the annular groove, a lower cork or stopper and an upper stopper or plug locked in the upper portion of the neck and cut away at one side to provide a space for the reception of a wedge, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle having a frangible upper por tion and provided at the inner face thereof with a recess, a lower cork or stopper, an upper stopper or plug arranged in the frangible portion and provided with a recess adapted to register with the recess of the bottle, and a locking device comprising a rectangular block arranged Within the recess of the stopper or plug and adapted to project bodily therefrom to engage the recess of the neck, and a bowedspring secured to the inner face of the block at a point between the ends thereof, the terminals of the spring being free and engaging the stopper or plug, substantially as described.

In testimony that. I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM BINGHAM LYNCH.

Witnesses:

WM. MARTIN, R. G. ROBINSON. 

